Tigers recruit played through pain

New Wests Tigers fullback Adam Doueihi has revealed he played most of his last season at South Sydney with painkilling injections.

Adam Doueihi is set to start at fullback for the Tigers when the NRL resumes next week. Picture: AAP

New Wests Tigers fullback Adam Doueihi has revealed he played most of his last season at South Sydney with the aid of painkilling injections out of fear he would lose his spot in the side.

Doueihi, 21, has revealed he made a return from an ACL injury in round 12 last year only to battle through a troublesome ankle ­injury.

“I had a little niggle in my ankle and I was playing with it needled, which was a bit annoying towards the end of the year and I had a clean-out,” he said.

“I started (getting painkillers) around round 13 and from then I was barely training in the last few weeks. There were some games I would get re-needled at halftime if I had to.”

Only in his second year of NRL and with just 15 games to his name, Doueihi said he was willing to “suck up” the pain to retain a spot in coach Wayne Bennett’s side.

“A young kid like me not having the games behind me or the experience to say to the coach, ‘I want a few weeks off’ … Wayne was a new coach and you always want to impress the new coach,” Doueihi said.

“I never thought to have a few weeks off. I was probably too scared to not get my position back. I guess I had to suck it up.”

After making his NRL debut for the Rabbitohs in 2018, Doueihi was forced to look for a new home, despite having two more years on his contract, when Latrell Mitchell arrived at Redfern in January.

Originally a playmaker, Doueihi had been impressing as a fullback but was leapfrogged by Mitchell for the position. Doueihi was released to join the Tigers on a four-year deal with first crack at the fullback spot.

“My first few years in first grade, I have been thrown around in every position in the backline,” he said. “Although I did come through as a half, the more games I have played at fullback I have actually felt very comfortable there. I do see myself as a long-term fullback.”

Tigers coach Michael Maguire named Doueihi at centre in rounds one and two, easing his transition into the side. But Doueihi is expected to wear the No 1 jumper in round three against Cronulla next Saturday.

“It’s a position I have been playing for the past 12 months. I came to this club wanting to be a fullback, I trained well in the off-season and in the first two rounds Thomo (Corey Thompson) shared (the role) a bit, but Madge (Maguire) has gone my way and I’m thankful for that.”

The Daily Telegraph